The M.O.R.E. Ration above is designed for hot environments. Easily malleable and can fit easily in the cargo pocket, or in a pouch on the Soldier’s kit. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Armando Limon, 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 25th Infantry Division)

1st Lt. Jason Kilgore U.S. Army Health Clinic-Schofield Barracks

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — Have you ever been in the field and thought the meal ready to eat, or MRE, was not enough fuel to optimize your performance?

The 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team recently had the unique opportunity to field test the new Modular Operational Ration Enhancement (M.O.R.E.) ration during training.

The M.O.R.E. ration was developed by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) in response to feedback from leaders who saw their Soldiers losing a significant amount of weight while operating in high stress or extreme conditions.

An assembly of MORE rations.

The body requires an immense amount of fuel when pushed to the extreme. For those who are in the field and who are too far for a tailgate resupply, combat rations such as MREs are the only source of fuel.

Historically, Soldiers would take out all the items in their MREs that were unappealing (“field stripping”) and pack only what they believed they would need before leaving the line of departure. What the Soldiers didn’t understand is that each part of the MRE plays a vital role in replenishing the body’s fuel supply.

A single MRE has around 1,300 calories and provides the Soldier with enough energy and electrolytes to sustain him during normal operations. When you need more calories, you need the M.O.R.E. rations that add 1,100 calories to supplement the MRE.
When a Soldier is deprived of essential nutrients, such as calories, carbohydrates and electrolytes, the body is unable to function at its full capacity. This impact will hinder a Soldier’s accuracy while shooting, give mental and muscle fatigue, and hinder the ability to pay attention to surroundings.

The added caffeine in the M.O.R.E. rations helps combat the fatigue, giving the brain and body a much needed energy boost for those missions that require constant concentration for long durations or long movements on minimal sleep.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — The 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team recently had the unique opportunity to field test the new Modular Operational Ration Enhancement (M.O.R.E.) ration during training.The M.O.R.E. ration was developed by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) in response to feedback from leaders who saw their Soldiers losing a significant amount of weight while operating in high stress or extreme conditions.

The 3IBCT tested these new M.O.R.E. rations while conducting field operations for two-and-a-half days. Soldiers were issued one MRE a day, plus one M.O.R.E. ration on the last day, during the two-and-a-half day field training exercise.

Capt. David Vance, 3IBCT assistant operations officer, stated that “the ration was very helpful in controlling Soldier food intake. There is a need to balance real world environmental stress in training through sleep deprivation, long movements and food restriction. The M.O.R.E. ration provided enough of the right kind of nutrients to optimize performance.”

Some would argue that there is great value to sleep and food deprivation while training in the field. It allows Soldiers to know their limitations, and then tests them. Providing the body with the right type of fuel for these high-stress environments is exactly what the M.O.R.E. ration was designed for.

The M.O.R.E. ration was developed by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) in response to feedback from leaders who saw their Soldiers losing a significant amount of weight while operating in high stress or extreme conditions.

“I’m the kind of guy that can go straight to sleep after drinking a cup of coffee before bed,” said Vance, “but after going 36 hours without caffeine, and then consuming the caffeinated chocolate pudding, I got a nice jolt of energy and focus.”

A major concern was the weight and size of these additional rations; after all, ounces equal pounds. The M.O.R.E. ration weighs less than three quarters of a pound and is easily compressible in order to give the Soldier more room in his ruck for mission essential equipment.

The ration is mostly comprised of carbohydrates, electrolytes and caffeine. It can easily fit into a cargo pocket, or a kit, and be consumed while on the go.

There are two different types of M.O.R.E. rations: one for hot weather and one for cold weather environments. The ration requires no heating and no utensils, making eating convenient to the Soldier.

It is possible that the Soldier, even while eating the M.O.R.E. rations, can lose weight. However the additional electrolytes, carbohydrates and caffeine give the Soldier a much-needed boost of energy while out on mission.

Whether a Soldier is conducting a long duration observation post or on a long ruck march after very little sleep, the M.O.R.E. ration serves to enhance the performance of exhausted Soldiers.

Whether in hot or cold environments, USARIEM has created assistance in a form that was completely unexpected – the M.O.R.E. ration.